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Searching for cranberry-walnut mini-boules

June 29, 2006 - 9:22am

Sylviambt

Searching for cranberry-walnut mini-boules

At least two of the better bakeries in the Twin Cities (Minnesota) occasionally offer deep brown and crusty mini-boules filled with dried cranberries and walnuts. They are wonderful with soups, with sharp cheddar or on their own with coffee. Can anyone suggest a recipe I can use to achieve these absolutely delicious wonders? Thanks.

You might just want to use a white sourdough or pane pugliese or whatever plain recipe that you have used, then after the bulk fermantation part, gently press the dough out into a rectangle about 1 1/2 inch thick, spread the dried cranberries and chopped walnuts all over and do a "jelly roll", starting from the edge furthest away and roll tightly towards you. After this, make 1/3 folds (left to right or vice versa) then let rest for about an hour. After the rest, scale out the dough to whatever weight you want and gently press dough down and roll up towards you. Followed by tucking in the two ends and shape to a boule. Let rise till double or when press, the dough will have an indent. Make a single slash, mist with water and into oven. Bake as per oven temp for the bread recipe.

Hope this helps...

Cheers...
Don

Note: the dried cranberries and chopped walnut is about 20% of your dough weight.

Thanks donyeoki, will try.
However the type I've tried here, and loved, is a very dark brown, crustier bread, with lots of whole wheat, and fairly open holes.
If anyone has a recipe I might adapt, pls let me know. Thanks.

Joe,
Thanks so much for pointing me in the direction of these two breads. I think the pecan craisin will do the trick.
BTW, was it you who had your oven go out due to enthusiastic steaming? I had mine conk out earlier this week after a particularly large cloud of steam zapped its ignition system.
The Maytag guy was in yesterday so I'm up and operating again. I can hardly wait to get some loaves in the oven! Unfortunately, that'll have to wait till after the weekend because of commitments that keep me out of the kitchen. Darn!
SylviaIn search of the perfect crust & crumb

Hi Joe,
Thank you, thank you. I used the Pecan Cherry Levain recipe from that you recommended, and adapted it to use craisins and toasted walnuts. The two large boules came out perfectly!! Three of us have managed to polish one off in just two days. Gave a chunk to a co-worker who shared it with her economics class. They raved. Great texture and flavor. Terrific, chewy crust. The light sourdough flavor agrees with my husband (a real test - he doesn't like really sour sourdough, which I love).

Roast pecans in 350 oven for about 10 minutes. Transfer to a plate, cool, chop.
Place cherries and spring water until softened, 10-30mins. Drain, reserving liquid. Add water to make 2 1/4cp. Pat cherries dry. Chop coarsely.
Combine levain and soaking liquid, breaking up the levain well. Add 1cp flour and combine. Add salt and enough flour to make a thick mass. Turn out and knead, adding flour as necessary to make a soft dough, about 10 minutes. Add cherries and pecans, adding flour as necessary. Knead until firm and smooth, 15-17mins.

I've been looking everywhere for this recipe (I knew it as a raisin walnut levain) and made it dozens of times for years. It was so simple, I thought I had it committed to memory. I was wrong! I moved, lost the recipe and a few brain cells as well, it appears, beause I could never quite recreate it the way I remembered it. (In fact, there's a close-but-not-quite version on the kitchen counter now). As soon as I saw it, I recognized it---it's like being reunited with a long-lost friend. Thank you! Can't wait to try the cherry pecan version too!

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